Man banned by injunction from shops in Mansfield

A man in Mansfield has been issued with an Interim Antisocial Behaviour Injunction.

The injunction bans Jamie Grout, of no fixed address, from begging and behaving in a manner that causes harassment, alarm or distress to members of the public in the District of Mansfield. 

The injunction conditions include prohibiting Mr Grout from asking for money, cigarettes, food, begging, shouting, swearing or causing excessive noise, urinating or defecating in public, setting fires or using drugs and discarding drugs paraphernalia.

He is also banned from entering certain premises in Mansfield without a prior appointment including the Civic Centre, the One Stop shop in Westfield Lane, Premier Stores at the Rosemary Street Service Station and Tesco Extra in Chesterfield Road South.

A picture has been released of Mr Grout and anyone witnessing him breaching his conditions is advised to contact Mansfield District Council on 01623 463463 or Nottinghamshire Police on 101 immediately.

If he breaches the injunction, Mr Grout risks being held in contempt of court. The maximum penalty for this is an immediate two-year prison sentence.

Mansfield District Council took action after complaints from members of the public and businesses that Mr Grout was persistently begging outside of shops in and around Mansfield town centre. He has also been found injecting substances on public premises and discarding uncapped syringes in the vicinity. 

The injunction was issued on Friday 5 July in Mr Grout’s absence after he failed to appear at the hearing at the County Court in Mansfield despite being hand served with the documentation advising him of the hearing. The interim injunction was served on him personally on Tuesday 9 July.

The court was told that Mr Grout had been given numerous warnings in relation to his behaviour and had refused support from the council and partner agencies in relation to reducing his drug addiction and obtaining housing support.

He has previously been issued with a Drug Rehabilitation Order in relation to another matter but, so far, he has failed to engage with this Order. 

Cllr Angie Jackson, Portfolio Holder for Wellbeing, Health and Safer Communities, said after the hearing: “The council takes enforcement action of this kind only as a last resort.

“We always actively offer help and support first whenever we have cases of this kind, and offers of support will continue to be made to Mr Grout.

“But if someone persistently continues to cause harassment, alarm or distress, then we have no viable option other than to seek formal legal intervention.”

A final injunction hearing will be held on Wednesday 31 July 2024 at the County Court at Mansfield to allow Mr Grout an opportunity to put forward any submissions as to why the injunction should not stand or proceed. The court will also consider if a Power of Arrest should be attached to the terms of the Injunction.